1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of data entry devices. More specifically, embodiments of the present invention relate to removable faceplates for a portable computer system or other portable electronic device.
2. Related Art
As the components required to build a computer system have reduced in size, new categories of computer systems have emerged. One of the new categories of computer systems is the xe2x80x9cpalmtopxe2x80x9d computer system. A palmtop computer system is a computer that is small enough to be held in the hand of a user and can therefore be xe2x80x9cpalm-sized.xe2x80x9d Most palmtop computer systems are used to implement various Personal Information Management (PIM) applications such as an address book, a daily organizer and electronic notepads, to name a few. Palmtop computers with PIM software have been know as Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs). Many PDAs have a small flat display screen associated therewith with one or more buttons or keys that can be pressed by a user.
In addition to PDAs, small flat display screens and push buttons have also been implemented within other portable electronic devices, such as cell phones, electronic pagers, remote control devices and other wireless portable devices.
User convenience and device value are very important factors for portable electronic devices. Typically, portable electronic devices are employed while the user is on the run, e.g., in business meetings, on business travel, personal travel, in a vehicle, on foot, etc. Because the user may be occupied or busy while using the portable electronic device, the number of user steps or user tasks required in order to access information from an electronic device (or to store information into the electronic device) is crucial for producing a commercially successful and useful product. That is, the more difficult it is to access data from an electronic device, the less likely the user will perform those tasks to obtain the information. Likewise, the easier information is to obtain, the more likely the portable electronic device will be used to obtain that information and the more likely the portable electronic device will become a part of the user""s everyday activities.
Similarly, the more useful the device, the more the device will be used and acquired. Accordingly, the more the device can be flexible and specialized for particular uses that are important to users, the higher the likelihood that the device will be employed.
One way to personalize or specialize a portable electronic device is to alter the appearance of its faceplate or front cover. Today, many cell phones offer removable faceplates which can be attached to the device. The faceplates have button holes that are adapted fit around existing buttons that are integrated with the cell phone body. The faceplates can alter the overall appearance (e.g., color, pattern, etc.) of the device to fit a user""s taste or personal preference. These prior art faceplates, while altering the cosmetic appearance of the device, do not alter the functionality or placement of the underlying buttons which are integrated with the body of cell phone device.
Other faceplates have been offered that not only provide cosmetic changes to the device, but also add some special key designations or key types to the existing buttons of the underlying device. However, the existing buttons of the underlying device are still needed. For instance, some faceplates provide mechanical buttons that are designed to contact and fit over the existing buttons on the device""s body. When the mechanical button on the faceplate is depressed, so is the underlying device""s button. The mechanical buttons of these prior art faceplates can alter the designations of the existing buttons or add new button types. For instance, a joystick key type (on the faceplate) can be added over a group of existing keys of the device""s body. When the joy stick is moved, different keys of the key group are then activated. However, since these prior art faceplates make use of the existing keys of the device, they are limited in their potential key placements, key functionalities and key types. These faceplates may also add significant size and weight to the overall device since their keys are additive to the underlying keys.
Accordingly, embodiments of the present invention provide an electronic device, e.g., a cell phone, portable computer system, PDA, electronic pager, etc., having a removable functional faceplate. The removable functional faceplate provides additional keys and key functionality that are in addition to any underlying keys of the electronic device (if it has any at all). For instance, removable faceplates can add extended keyboards, gaming controls, etc. The new keys and key functionality can be placed in any location on the faceplate and may be of any key type without restriction to the underlying keys of the electronic device (if it has any at all). Additionally, the functional faceplates may provide circuits which add functionality to the electronic device other than, or in addition to, new keys, e.g., increased memory capacity, increased power capacity, music playing capacity, measurement devices, etc. The faceplates are removable, and in one embodiment, designed to be readily removed and installed by the user. By providing the ability to add new keys to the faceplate, the present invention provides an electronic device that may be substantially customized for a particular user or for a particular and specialized use. The present invention provides these advantages and others not specifically mentioned above but described in the sections to follow.
An integrated removable functional faceplate is described herein for a portable computer system. The removable functional faceplate employs specially located electrical contacts or pads that mate with similarly located electrical contacts mounted on predetermined positions of the portable computer system, e.g., a personal digital assistant (PDA) or other electronic device. The electrical contacts of the functional faceplate carry signals that are responsive to the pressing of physical buttons which may be placed in any location on the functional faceplate. This allows individual faceplates to be developed that are specialized for a particular purpose, e.g., extended keyboards, adapted for gaming, adapted for music playing, adapted for email, paging, etc. The functional faceplates may have specialized button types that are adapted for a particular use and are also located in custom positions that reflect the particular use employed. When the functional faceplate is removed from the portable computer system, it may have no buttons or it may provide a standard PDA button group.
An identification circuit may be employed on the functional faceplate to indicate its button group and signaling characteristics. Alternatively, the functional faceplate may also include a data generation device, e.g., a global positioning system (GPS) or electronic thermometer, a music player, a smart card, etc. In this case, one or more of the electrical contacts are adapted to receive data signals from this data generation device. Alternatively, the functional faceplate may also include an auxiliary power supply (e.g., battery, solar power,. etc.). In this case, one or more of the electrical contacts are adapted to receive a power signal from this auxiliary power source.
The removable integrated functional faceplate of the present invention permits a user to add additional specific functionality to its PDA, for instance gaming (e.g., controls, four way control, joystick, etc.) and email (e.g., a keyboard). In order to lessen the size and weight of the PDA, in one embodiment, the functional faceplates may become an integrated part of the PDA and not an add-on accessory. In one implementation, the faceplates may be molded in plastic and removably attached to the PDA via a hook and snaps combination, although any attachment mechanism can be used, e.g., rail and slot, screws, etc. It is appreciated that the faceplate does not need to be of the same size as the PDA, but could be larger depending on the type of use intended.
More specifically, an embodiment of the present invention includes a faceplate for an electronic device comprising: a housing adapted to be removably secured onto the electronic device; a plurality of electrical contacts disposed on the housing and operable to mate with corresponding electrical contacts of the electronic device when the housing is secured onto the electronic device; and a plurality of buttons disposed on the housing and, when activated, for causing signals to be generated over the electrical contacts indicating which buttons were activated and when activated. Embodiments include the above and further comprising a code generation device responsive to activation of the plurality of buttons and coupled to the electrical contacts of the faceplate, the code generation device for generating the signals over the electrical contacts which indicate which buttons where activated and when activated.
Embodiments include the above and further comprising an identification unit disposed on the housing and coupled to the electrical contacts of the faceplate, the identification unit for identifying the faceplate to the electronic device. Embodiments include the above and further comprising an auxiliary power supply disposed on the housing and coupled to the electrical contacts of the faceplate, the auxiliary power supply for supplying power to the electronic device.
Embodiments include the above and further comprising a data signal generation device disposed on the housing and coupled to the electrical contacts of the faceplate, the data signal generation device for supplying data signals to the electronic device wherein the data signal generation device may be a music player or an environmental measuring device or a memory card or a global positioning system (GPS).